Donald Trump has long wanted his own parade. The possessive adjective is deliberate, as the military parade scheduled for Saturday, June 14, in Washington will blur the line between the personal and the official. It will take place on the day the American president celebrates his 79th birthday, which coincides with the 250th anniversary of the US Armed Forces.
Trump has denied any display of vanity, even though such a show of American military might is entirely outside the country's tradition. Nearly 6,600 troops, 150 vehicles and 50 Apache and Black Hawk helicopters are expected to participate in this event, bringing the capital to a standstill.
The parade could cost up to $45 million, with a third of that allocated to repairing roads after the passage of Abrams tanks and armored vehicles; the city government will have to cover part of the bill.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump said that the amount represented "peanuts compared to the value" of the event itself. "A lot of that money is being paid for by me and people that make donations," he said in early June.
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